This album is supremely disappointing. The first single (and opening track) Overcompensate seems to promise an explosive and exciting record, with fiery album art to match. It's hard not to feel betrayed when listening through it however, as much of the runtime is rather tame and mellow. There is next to nothing in this tracklist that even resembles the energy of Overcompensate or Backslide, and there is ultimately no cohesion or sense of any creative vision to the project. I felt genuinely ... read more

This album is an otherworldly thrill ride built of warped and wailing guitars, thick heavy riffs, and insane drum work. Every single song here actively takes you on an adventure as you listen, whether you're being dragged to the bottom of the sea on the punchy, rumbling Aquatic Fanatic, riding a dragon on the dazzling Land of Secret Dreams, or drifting away into oblivion on the melancholy Star Shaped Cloud. It's an immersive experience without parallel.

And Justice For All showcases the height of Metallica's technical proficiency, giving us lengthy and complex songs bordering on the progressive, ultimately held back by lackluster production. The album boasts a very bleak and raw sound, that unfortunately lacks the heaviness that it needs to realize its full impact. While many blame this on the bass, I find that the very rough and gritty guitar tone we hear, being played atop clean, pristine, airy, drums is what really leads to this hollow and ... read more

While not the most overrated album ever released (I'm not gonna make a Kendrick Lamar joke here) this album deserves its consideration. As usual, Lars' drumming simply can't deliver the speed or energy needed in the rhythm of these songs much of the time, and the band seem less capable than ever to write around this. This leaves the verses on Battery sounding awkward and hollow, the riffs on the title track Master of Puppets feeling sluggish, and Leper Messiah... Well, everything makes Leper ... read more

A historic record if ever there was one, amazing despite its flaws. Lars on the drums has always been Metallica's weak link, and while his inability to match the speed and ferocity of his bandmates usually isn't a problem, it becomes frustrating as it holds back near-perfect tracks like Creeping Death. The entire band are in perfect form however on the crushingly-heavy For Whom the Bell Tolls, and majestic horrorshow The Call of Ktulu. A must-listen album for sure.

A fierce and abrasive listen carried by a crunchy guitar tone, great riffs, songwriting, and amazing solos. Epics like The Four Horsemen, No Remorse, and Phantom Lord exemplify why Metallic are recognized as thrash metal titans, while the noticeably slower-paced Seek And Destroy shows that speed isn't all they have to offer, giving us an anthem replete with attitude and leatherbound swagger.

"The Sword? More like The Wooden Spoon."

The edge has definitely been dulled, from the very subdued guitar tone, to simple rock riffs, to the more basic song structures. High Country sees the band experimenting with a different sound, though one still very much their own, occasionally dotted with the flashy guitarwork and heavy riffs we expect from them. Song like Empty Temples and High Country display the band's affinity for groups like ZZ Top, while Tears Like Diamonds and Mist ... read more

The Sword return to their fantasy roots with Apocryphon, maintaining a bit of the hard-rocking flair they experimented with on Warp Riders. The guitar tones are generally thicker, fuller, and heavier on this record than their previous outing, and face-melters like Dying Earth, Execrator, and the title track Apocryphon showcase this enthusiastically. Despite its apocalyptic themes, the tone of the album is overall less dreary than their earliest works, particularly on the aforementioned title ... read more

The Sword trade in their medieval fantasy aesthetic for a lightsaber, and take on sci-fi with their third album Wrap Riders. The production value matches the shift in genre, giving us clean pristine instrumentals a millennia beyond what we heard on their previous record, which at times leaves some of the sharper riffs feeling insufficiently heavy. We see this on the opening track, a brilliant instrumental that doesn't feel quite as impactful as the crushing openers on their previous records, ... read more

Much like their first album, this is music that captures the very essence of the fantasy genre in musical form, with tales of bloody barbarians, gallant knights, and fair maidens. This time around, the production is rougher, trading the magical atmosphere of their debut for raw carnage in tracks like Lords, Fire Lances, or The Black River. Every song is amazing, and despite the raw production, the songwriting feels more refined and calculated, fully on display in the 7+ minute instrumental epic ... read more

This album is a fantastic in every sense of the word. From the crushingly heavy Horned Goddess, to the ferocious March of the Lor, to the adventurous onslaught of Iron Swan, the brilliant guitarwork and endless sea of cymbal crashes create a magical atmosphere that immerses you in a fantasy world of warriors and mages. This music for nerds.